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RAIDMAX Monster II Review

RAIDMAX Monster II Conclusion:

The Monster II has a different look to it. With the deep grooved front fascia and top section, you can't really confuse it with other cases. That really makes this case stand out. But it is not flashy or over the top either. It just looks good. I do like the top I/O panel with the USB 3.0 ports up where they don't stick out. Front mounts are fine, but I am always a little paranoid that I am going to catch a flash drive as I walk by and snap it off. Not with this case.

A few years ago, case designs incorporated as much space as possible for the old bulky hard drives. As solid state and M.2 drives have become mainstream, a lot of space has opened up for case designers. Add to that the fact that optical drives are slowly being phased out while liquid cooling support gains popularity, and you have very different case layouts. You do have the option of removing the optical drive bays in the Monster II to make room for that 360mm front radiator you have been staring at. And the Monster II makes good use of motherboard space by allowing for a mini-ITX to a full-sized ATX build.

I am starting to see more and more cases now that have the power supply area covered up, and this is sort of a good and bad thing. On one hand, you get the ability to hide any stray power cables, which is important, particularly if you have a non-modular power supply. The PSU cover makes for a clean, slick looking build that really helps with cable management. That is the good part. Now for the bad - you know that neighborhood-light-dimming 1500 watt top-of-the-line power supply you dropped a ton of money on? Well, it is all covered up. Can't show it off. Maybe not a show-stopper, but still something to consider.

So, for what the Monster II is, I think you are getting a good value. The stock fans are not annoyingly loud, and you do have space to add more fans. There are filters to keep the dust out, and decent room to build a nice gaming rig, workstation, or just a daily driver. And don't forget there is support for liquid cooling.

The Monster II that comes with the small side window retails for $64.99 at Newegg, and that is not bad for a case this size. The Monster II is also available with a tempered glass full side window for just a few more dollars if you really want to show off more of your hardware. The Monster II won't break the bank and that means more bucks to put towards other components. Who doesn't want that? So, if you are looking for a cool case at a cool price, check out the Monster II from RAIDMAX!

Pros:

Attractive design

Quiet operation

Top mounted USB 3.0 ports

Front and rear 140mm fans (blue LED fan in front)

Side window

Top, bottom, and front filter panels

Great cable management - thanks to the PSU cover

Liquid cooling support (front) for up to 360mm radiator (if you don't need any optical drives)